Joines on mend after surgery

Rossland’s Paralympic sit skiing protégé Kimberly Joines has returned from the World Cup Circuit in Europe after a roller-coaster ride.

On the positives she came home with two silver giant slalom medals from Austria and some great times.

But, while in Germany a day before she was set to fly home, she was feeling a pain in her stomach that turned out to be her appendix. After a trip to the German hospital and a quick surgery she was on the mend with an extended five days in Germany.

“The prognosis looks good, I should be able to ski in two weeks, which is earlier than I thought. I want to get some more training in before the big games and my coaches are helping me to do anything possible to be ready,” said Joines.

“It was interesting timing for my appendix to want to come out the day before I was set to fly home. At the end of three weeks of travelling you kind of just want to get home, but that’s not how it goes sometime. We have a medic travelling with the team who was with me at the hospital which was great and the German hospital was looking better than some we have in Canada.”

Released from the hospital on her birthday, Joines was eager to get back to Canada and get on the mend.

She is now staying active doing core exercises hoping to be travelling to a training camp in Panorama Feb. 13-20. If she is unable to make it there’s another one scheduled for March 2 on Vancouver Island and a retreat March 6 in Whistler.

“I may try to get a few dates at Red after I’m recovered if possible or somewhere else. It depends if it snows, powder is not the best condition for me to race in unfortunately,” she said.

Joines will be doing her best resting and preparation for when her Paralympic experience begins on March 12 in the downhill category. She will also participate in the super G March 15, super combined March 16, giant slalom March 19 and slalom March 21.

Joines was able to attend the Rossland Olympic Challenge fundraiser wrap up on Jan. 30 where she was grateful to all the supporters, volunteers and musicians who came out to the event.

Her coaches maintain Joines is on the right path and should be looking good when the big games hit Vancouver.